CityLife

Roadhouse date for Fleet Foxes

NOBODY takes themselves seriously these days. Well, they take their brand of hair gel seriously, the labels on their lapels seriously and which journalists they talk to seriously. But not the music.

And that's exactly why we love Fleet Foxes. You try looking like a hip fashionista when you're nodding your razor cut mullet to tracks that sound like Crosby, Still & Nash performing 17th century Baroque hymns, John Lennon trying his hand at Appalachian folk or Fairport Convention discovering Led Zeppelin.

No, to fully appreciate Seattle's Fleet Foxes you need a beard, or - if you're a girl - a gig buddy with a beard. They were the most talked-about band at Texas' famous SXSW festival.

Their debut album hits the shops on Monday, and the rule is: expect to hear everything with strings. "To me, the most enjoyable thing in the world is to sing harmony with people," said lead man Robin Pecknold on the band's website.

"We love acoustic guitars, electric guitars, big rolling tom drums, mandolins, dulcimers, bass guitars, bass pedals, organs, pianos, kotos, and most of all harmony and melody. We've succeeded for ourselves if we've made a song where every instrument is doing something interesting and melodic."

Fleet Foxes and Beach House play The Roadhouse on Tuesday, June 17. SOLD OUT. Call 0161 832 1111 to check for returns.

Click here to read a review of Fleet Foxes' LP.